The good, the bad, the ugly

As a mommy I have good days and then not so good days. I have days when I feel that I am failing at the most important "job" that I will ever be given! Other days I feel like I just might be figuring this whole "mothering" thing out...I like these days the best, obviously :)! I'll be completely transparent, earlier this week I thought I could pull my hair out! Sophie is very dramatic and VERY strong willed! I know to the deepest part of my heart that these two characteristics are the ones that God will use the most! However, right now they can be exhausting! Almost everything is a battle! And, oh my, the fits that were being thrown! I was at a complete loss! I tried ignoring them so that she didn't receive any type of attention, rather negative or positive, for them. I didn't want to spank her because I believe that if you are going to spank that it needs to be saved for the most dire of times, ex. running out into the street, out right disobeying, etc. I had tried time out, but she wasn't old enough to get the whole concept of it. Sooo...I was overwhelmed! I knew that I needed to get the fits under control because if I didn't do something soon then it would become a permanent occurrence! I started time out again and so far, cross your fingers, it seems to be making such a difference! She's thrown some tantrums, but they don't last nearly as long. A couple of times all I've even had to do is mention time out and she quits pretty quickly! So the past two days have been good, productive days! I love these days, but realize that the days where I feel that I'm failing are so needed! It is those days that remind me just how utterly lost I am with out Christ's guidance in parenting (well, ALL things if we get down to it)!! I want to teach Sophie the tools to live a happy and successful life so that she can teach her kids! I want her to have love for God and people! I want her to have compassion and know that Christianity isn't about how many times you go to church - although that is very important - that Christianity is about LOVE and ACTIONS! I want her to know that she will fail, but that God's and her parent's love will NEVER leave her because of it! When I think about the weight of responsibility that parents have it is overwhelming. That's when I have to remind myself to take it day to day, and to start every one of those days praying for wisdom on how to raise Sophie! I know that my only hope for being anyway successful is by listening to God's direction and surrounding myself with godly mothers for advice! BTW - I think that it is so important to be selective about who you let speak into your life and your family! Not every church leader and Christian are good/healthy/godly parents, unfortunately!

"All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

"Train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it."
Proverbs 22:6

My sweet baby girl all grown up and big enough for the "cars" at Publix! Honestly, for every ounce of stubbornness that Sophie has there is the sweetness to match it! You won't find a sweeter, more loving child than her!!